Interview with Comic Creator Erik Larsen
The Savage Life of Erik Larsen
By Hatch Tarr

Occasionally the LOP Team likes to pull some of our interviews from the vault for re-airing. These oldies but goodies were originally corralled during the days of LOP Magazine. They say that good wine and cheeses get better with age, and we say “why not interviews as well?!?!?” Be sure to also check out our new interviews and reviews that will be airing soon!

Original Publishing Date: Thursday, February 01, 2007

Hatch: First off Erik, How did you get into the world of comics?

Erik: I drew comics unprofessionally since I was 9-years old. I drew unpublished comics for years and in 1982 I published a fanzine with a couple of pals called Graphic Fantasy. That comic featured my character the Dragon and it lead to me getting work professionally. I got my first professional comic book job at 19. A couple of people who bought my fanzine through the mail hired me to work for them.

> Hatch: Where did you get the idea for Savage Dragon?

Erik: He was kind of an amalgam of Batman, Speed Racer and Fawcett’s Captain Marvel and he evolved over years to become what he is today..

Hatch: What is the hardest thing about being Erik Larsen?

Erik: Finding a decent parking spot.

Hatch: There are six reasons why Image is a leading comic book publisher today. Can you tell me what it’s like to help create soming so amazing?

Erik: Not really, no.

Hatch: Walk me through a day in the life of Erik Larsen.

Erik: There is no typical day. Most involve a lot of answering e-mails and talking to creators

Hatch: What is your main brand of art supplies?

Erik: There’s no one brand. I use a pretty standard #2 pencil – HB. The pencil I have on hand is a Dixon Ticonderoga. It’s mushy as all hell but it doesn’t slow me down like a harder pencil would. I can fly with this baby.

And I use a Staedtler Mars Plastic rubber eraser. To ink I use a Hunt 102 nib, a Winsor & Newton, series 7, No. 2 brush and Higgen’s Design ink. For straight lines I use a uni-ball pen or a Pentel Rolling Writer – I gave up on Rapidographs years ago because A: they clog too easily and B: markers look the same – it’s a straight black line, for cryin’ out loud!

When I used to just pencil, I would sometimes do rough layouts with a Col-Erase pencil (blue) but I don’t use them anymore – they’re a bit waxy and it’s difficult to ink over their lines. Image gets its paper printed from Blue Line Pro. I use that.

Hatch: 2004 was a very big year from you. You took on the job of Publisher of Image Comics. Can you tell me what that day was like for you?

Erik: It was a little weird. I was still working at home and the Image office was down in Southern California. It became clear over a few months that it made more sense to move the office North so that I could be there in person than for me to try and steer the ship from my home. It wasn’t the plan from day one but it ended up being the best move.

Hatch: Who in your life inspired you to become the person you are today?

Erik: No one person, really. I’ve been inspired by a number of people over the years from Jack Kirby to Stan Lee to Dave Sim and countless other comic book pioneers.

As a creator I’m influenced by everything I read, see or hear. I love comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, X-Men by Claremont, Byrne and Austin, Daredevil by Miller and Janson, Thor by Walter Simonson.

And I’ve followed a lot of these creators from book to book but that’s just the tip of the iceberg, really, because I’ve picked up things from Pete Costanza, Gil Kane, Herb Trimpe, Arthur Adams, Steve Ditko, Adam Hughes, Gene Colan and dozens of others.

Everything I look at influences me. I’m constantly looking for new things to bring to my work.

Hatch: Was there ever a rivalry between you and Todd McFarlane? It seemed for a little while you were taking over and bettering books he had worked on.

Erik: No. Todd and I are pals and we’ve looked out for and helped each other for years. In many cases, Todd suggested that I succeed him on titles at Marvel and in regard to Image, I helped lay the groundwork that led to him coming onboard here. Todd’s a good friend.

Hatch: I know you don’t need it, but… Shamless Plugging time! The Floor is yours…

Erik: Well, Savage Dragon is generally a good bet but really–I’d recommend a whole mess of Image comics from Gødland to Invincible to Rocketo, the Walking Dead, Jack Staff, PvP, Girls, Elephant Men, Spawn, Fell, and all the rest.

I’m really pleased with what is coming out from Image right now. We’re putting out some terrific books.